Author 




Title 



Class 
Book^ 



E^iSi. 



Imprint 



OPO 16 — 74G4 



Provisions of 



SENATE BILL NO. 164 

Commonly Known as the Historical 
Committee Bill 



Passed March 29, 1921. 




PRINTING DEPARTMENT 

TENNESSEE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL 

NASHVILLE 






LIBRARY OF CONGKESS 

AUG 151922 

DOCUMENTS DIVISION 



PROVISIONS OF SENATE BILL NO. 164, COMMONLY 

KNOWN AS THE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE 

BILL, PASSED MARCH 29, 1921 

The Tennessee Historical Committee Bill is, a means of so 
much good to the present and to the future interests of this 
State that an intelligent understanding of its provisions is 
of transcendent importance. Such an understanding will 
enable the patriotic men and women of the State to work cor.- 
structively for the preservation of our history. 

OBJECT OF THE BILL 

Two years ago the Tennessee Historical Committee, com- 
prising twenty-five members, was appointed by Governor 
Roberts under authority of Senate Joint Resolution No. 12 ; 
and, under Senate Joint Resolution No. 76, was required "to 
collect, compile, index and arrange all data and information 
of every kind and character relating to the part that Ten- 
nessee has played, not only in the great world war, which is 
now closed, but in all the wars in which citizens or soldiers 
of Tennessee were engaged ; and also all data of every sort 
and kind which illustrate the life, history, development, re- 
sources, progress, personalities, artists, authors, orators, in- 
ventors and statesmen of the State, and all such data or 
information on these subjects shall be turned over to the 
State Librarian for safe-keeping for the future history of the 
State." 

In pursuance of these duties imposed upon it the Tennes- 
see Historical Committee undertook the work and carried 
it on with notable success, but was somewhat handicapped 
by a lack of definate instruction as to its duties and the per- 
formance of them, and the lack of funds with which to oper- 
ate. For these reasons Senate Bill No. 164 was prepared, 
introduced and passed. It is entitled "An Act to provide for 
the collection, preservation and publication of material rela- 
tive to the history of Tennessee, including the military rec- 
ords of its citizens ; to define further the powers and duties 



> 



of the Tennessee Historical Committee and to provide for 
filling vacancies therein; to provide for marking battlefields 
and other historic places within the State, and for a historical 
museum ; and to appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars 
annually for carrying out the provisions of this Act." 

THINGS TO BE DONE BY THE TENNESSEE 
HISTORICAL COMMITTEE 

Under the provision of this Act there are no less than 
seventeen distinct fundamental activities of this Committee 
as follows: 

1. To collect the individual records of every soldier, 
sailor, airman and marine of Tennessee in the World War. 

2. To collect original letters, maps, papers, official docu- 
ments, medals, relics, mementos and souvenirs, showing 
valor of Tennesseans in World War. 

3. To file the relics, medals, etc., each county's record be- 
ing kept separately. 

4. To collect records of all the State's World War activi- 
ties, both civil and military, including Red Cross, medical 
corps, hospital service, sale of Liberty Bonds, War Savings 
Stamps, also of individuals. 

5. To collect historical data of Tennessee from files of old 
newspapers, court records, church records, private source;^., 
etc., to edit, publish and distribute. 

6. To care for proper marking and preservation of battle- 
fields and other historic places and houses. 

7. To provide and maintain an historical museum. 

8. To diffuse knowledge in reference to the history and 
resources of Tennessee. 

9. To encourage the study of Tennessee, history in the 
schools. 

10. To stimulate and encourage historical investigation 
and records among the people of the State. 

11. To adopt a seal for use and for official business. 

12. To adopt rules for government of the Committee. 

13. To fix a reasonable price on publications and devote 
the revenue to extending the work of the Committee. 



— 5— 

14. To control expenditures, 

15. One copy of its publications to be furnished free to 
any public school library in the State, to State officers and 
members of the Legislature making application. 

16. To secure and preserve official books, documents, rec- 
ords, official papers, newspapers, printed books and portraits 
not in current use from state, county, town or other public 
officials, 

17 To make certified copies of the official books, etc., 
upon application and to charge fees therefor. 

VITAL IMPORTANCE OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF 

THE BILL 

Can one conceive of more important things for a state to 
do than to preserve the records of its soldiers ; to mark its 
battlefields and historic places and houses ; to collect in a 
museum its historical mementos, souvenirs and medals ; to 
collect, edit and publish its historical data ; and to encourage 
the study of Tennessee history in the schools ; and to secure 
and preserve the priceless county and municipal records 
in lire-proof vaults. 

CO-OPERATION OF OFFICIALS 

Section 8 of the Act reads as follows: "Be it further 
enacted, that any State, county, town or public official 
in custody of public documents is hereby authorized and 
empowered at his discretion to turn over to said committee 
any official books, documents, records, official papers, news- 
paper files, printed books or portraits not in current use in 
his office and said committee shall provide for their- perman- 
ent preservation. But when so surrendered, copies there- 
from shall be made and certified under the seal of the com- 
mittee upon application of any person, which certificate shall 
have the force and effect as if made by the officer originally 
in charge of them and the committee shall charge for such 
copies the same fees as said officer is by the law allowed 
to charge." 



— 6— 

THE RECORDS LOANED 

These county, town or municipal records are merely loaned 
for preservation. It is well known that many courthouses and 
city halls and other receptacles for public records have been 
burned and priceless documents that cannot be reproduced 
have been destroyed. It is made the duty of the Tennessee 
Historical Committee to take care of such papers, relics, 
books, documents, files, portraits, etc., and keep them in fire- 
proof depositories, which requirement will be fully met when 
the new Memorial Building, in which they will be preserved, 
shall have been erected. 

A DOUBLE PURPOSE SUBSERVED 

Furthermore, a double purpose will thus be .subserved; 
for not only will these records, relics, etc., be safely cared for, 
but they will also be available for the inspection, informa- 
tion and inspiration of thousands of our fellow citizens, as 
well as of the citizens of other States who may visit us. 

RECORDS KEPT SEPARATELY 

The records of each county will be kept to themselves in 
files provided for this purpose. Hence, the historical com- 
mittee of each county should exert themselves to the utmost 
to have its records as complete and extensive as possible, 
placed in the State Archives for the honor of the county and 
the glory of the State. . 

NEED OF CO-OPERATION 

It will be noted that the requirements of the bill are so 
broad, the possible expansion of the efforts of the Commit- 
tee so unlimited, that they cannot alone, with all the ability, 
enthusiasm and means they may command, bring forth re- 
sults commensurate with the opportunities, without the co- 
operation of the patriotic men and women of every part of 
the State. 

For this reason an historical committee is being formed 
in every county to work in conjunction with the State His- 



— 7— 

torical Committee and already many county committees are 
doing splendid work. It is suggested that each county his- 
torical committee convene at once and begin the work of col- 
lecting the historical records, documents, souvenirs, etc., to 
be found in their county. See the County Court Clerk and 
other oif icers who are custodians of public records and have 
them place the valuable historical records, not in use, in the 
hands of the County Committee for transmission, 'at th^ 
proper time, to the Chairman of the State Historical Com- 
mittee for safe-keeping in the State Archives. 

Please become active in the work now. Every day is im- 
portant. Every day some valuable historical records are be- 
ing destroying and the State cannot afford the irreparable 
loss. 

JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE, 

Chairman. 



— 8— 

SENATE BILL NO. 164, CHAPTER 74, PASSED MARCH 

29, 1921. 

AN ACT to provide for the collection, preservation and publication of 
material relative to the history of Tennessee, including the mili- 
tary records of its citizens; to define further the powers and duties 
of the Tennessee Historical Committee and to provide for filling 
vacancies therein; to provide for marking battlefields and other 
historic places within the State, and for a historical museum; and 
to appropriate the sum of ten thousand dollars annually for carry- 
ing out the provisions of the Act. 

Section i. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of 
the State of Tennessee, That it shall be the duty of the 
State Historical Committee, appointed by the Governor of 
Tennessee, by authority of Senate Joint Resolution No. 12, 
Acts of Tennessee, 1919, to collect for permanent preserva- 
tion in the Archives of Tennessee the individual records of 
the Tennessee soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who saw 
service in the great world war. These records shall be col- 
lected on cards, showing the date and place of birth ; date of 
enlistment, branch of service and date of death or when 
mustered out, of every soldier, sailor, airman and marine, to- 
gether with all the original letters, maps, papers, official 
documents, medals, mementos and souvenirs possible 
to be collected and all other papers which will throw historical 
light on the valiant part enacted by Tennessee in the world 
war. And these records, maps, medals, original letters, 
papers, official documents, relics, mementos and souvenirs 
shall be filed in a suitable file, each county's records sepa- 
rately kept, and all preserved in a fire-proof place in the 
Archives of the State of Tennessee. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all of the records of 
the State's world war activities, both civil and military, in- 
cluding the Red Cross, medical corps, hospital service, sale 
of Liberty Bonds, War Savings Stamps and patriotic organi- 
zations of all kinds as well as individuals who gave patriotic 
service at home or abroad, shall be collected by said commit- 
tee and properly preserved in the Archives of the State. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the State Historical 
Committee shall collect from the files of old newspapers, 



court records, church records, private collections and else- 
where, historical data pertaining to the State of Tennessee 
and the territory included therein from the earliest times: 
to have such material properly edited, published by the State 
printer and distributed under the direction of the committee ; 
to care for the proper marking and preservation of battle 
fields, houses and other places celebrated in the history of 
the State ; to provide and maintain a historical museum ; to 
diffuse knowledge in reference to the history and resources 
of Tennessee ; to encourage the study of Tennessee history in 
the schools of the State, and to stimulate and encourage his- 
torical investigation and records among the people of the 
State ; to make an annual report of its receipts and its work 
and its needs to the Governor, to be by him transmitted to 
the General Assembly. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the Tennessee His- 
torical Committee shall have power to adopt a seal for use 
and for official business ; to adopt rules for its government 
not inconsistent with this Act ; to fix a reasonable price for 
its publication and to devote the revenue arising from such 
sales to extending the work of the Committee; to employ an 
assistant secretary at a salary of not more than one hundred 
and fifty ($150.00) dollars per month who shall do the copy 
ing, stenographing, collecting and compiling of the historical 
data collected by the committee; and to employ any addi- 
tional help may be necessary to collect and preserve the 
records ; to control the expenditures of such funds as may be 
appropriated for its maintenance : provided that at least one 
copy of its publications shall be furnished free of charge to 
any public school library or public library in Tennessee. 
State officers and members of the General Assembly making 
application for same through the constituted authorities. 

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That the director of the 
library, archives and history of the State shall be chairman 
of the Tennessee Historical Committee and shall maintain an 
office for the secretary of the committee in the state library 
or some other place designated by the committee ; that in col- 
lecting history and visiting historical places for the purpose 



—10— 

of collecting historical data thereon or establishing markers 
at historical points in the State or while otherwise travel- 
ing in the interest of this department the actual expenses 
of the chairman of the committee or the secretary of the 
committee shall be paid from the fund hereinafter provided 
in this Act. 

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That in the case of death or 
resignation of one of the committee the remaining members 
shall elect his or her successor. 

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That an executive board of 
ten members of the Historical Committee, appointed yearly 
by the Chairman shall meet the Chairman at the State 
Capital at least twice yearly at the call of the Chairman to 
transact business and receive the report of the secretary, and 
the entire committee shall meet once yearly for the same pur- 
pose. The actual expenses of the executive committee in- 
curred while attending these meetings shall be paid from the 
fund hereinafter appropriated for the purpose. 

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted. That any State, county, 
town or other public official in custody of public docu- 
ments is hereby authorized and empowered at his discre- 
tion to turn over to said committee any official books, 
documents, records, official papers, newspaper files, printed 
books or portraits not in current use in his office and 
said committee shall provide for their permanent preserva- 
tion. But when so surrendered, copies therefrom shall 
be made and certified under the seal of the committee 
upon application of any person, which certificate shall 
have the force and effect as if made by the officer origi- 
nally in charge of them and the committee shall charge for 
such copies the same fees as said officer is by the law al- 
lowed to charge. 

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, That for carrying out 
the purposes and objects of this Act the sum of ten thou- 
sand ($10,000) dollars or so much thereof as shall be need- 
ed over and above all the funds derived from the sale of 
the publications of the committee and all of the fees col- 
lected under Section 5 of this Act, is hereby annually ap- 



—11— 

propriated, and upon order of the chairman of the com- 
mittee the State Comptroller is hereby empowered and 
directed to draw his warrant for the sum from the State 
Treasury. 

Sec. 10. Be it further enacted, That this Act shall 
take effect after its passage, the public welfare re- 
quiring it. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 611 020 4 



